System for transporting frequency hopping signals

1. A radio frequency (RF) transport system for transporting through a transport network a plurality of RF signals transmitted from a central station to at least one remote station, the frequency of each of said RF signals hopping in accordance with a predetermined hopping sequence that is also transmitted from said central station to said remote station, the transport system comprising: a central transport unit including: means for receiving said frequency hopping signals and said hopping sequences from said central station; means responsive to said hopping sequences for respectively converting said central station frequency hopping signals into respective central unit fixed frequency signals; and means for transmitting said central unit fixed frequency signals and said hopping sequences through said transport network; and a remote transport unit including: means for receiving said central unit fixed frequency signals and said hopping sequences from said central transport unit; means responsive to said hopping sequences for respectively converting said central unit fixed frequency signals into respective remote unit frequency hopping signals corresponding to said central station frequency hopping signals; and means for transmitting said remote unit frequency hopping signals and said hopping sequences from said remote transport unit to said at least one remote station.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a local area network (LAN).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a wide area network (WAN).

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a wired or wireless cable TV network.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a video network.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a fiberoptic network.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a point-to-point microwave network.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein: said remote transport unit further includes: means for receiving frequency hopping signals from said at least one remote station; means responsive to said hopping sequences for respectively converting said remote station frequency hopping signals into respective remote unit fixed frequency signals; and means for transmitting said remote unit fixed frequency signals to said central transport unit through said transport network; and said central transport unit further includes: means for receiving said remote unit fixed frequency signals from said remote transport unit; means responsive to said hopping sequences for respectively converting said remote unit fixed frequency signals into respective central unit frequency hopping signals corresponding to said remote station frequency hopping signals; and means for transmitting said central unit frequency hopping signals from said central transport unit to said central station.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said central station comprises a radio base station, said remote station comprises a mobile station, and said hopping sequences are transmitted from said base station to said mobile station over a control channel.

11. A method for transporting a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals from a central station to a remote station through a transport network, the frequency of each of said RF signals hopping in accordance with a predetermined hopping sequence sent from said central station to said remote station, the method comprising the steps of: providing said frequency hopping signals and said hopping sequences from said central station to a central transport unit; converting said central station frequency hopping signals into respective fixed frequency signals in said central transport unit using said respective hopping sequences; transmitting said central unit fixed frequency signals and said hopping sequences through said transport network to a remote transport unit; receiving said central unit fixed frequency signals and said hopping sequences at said remote transport unit; converting in said remote transport unit using said hopping sequences said central unit fixed frequency signals into respective remote unit frequency hopping signals corresponding to said central station frequency hopping signals; and transmitting said remote unit frequency hopping signals and said hopping sequences from said remote transport unit to said remote station.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises the Internet.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a local area network (LAN).

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a wide area network (WAN).

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a wired or wireless cable TV network.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a video network.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a fiberoptic network.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said network comprises a point-to-point microwave network.

19. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of: providing frequency hopping signals from said remote station to said remote transport unit; converting said remote station frequency hopping signals into respective remote unit fixed frequency signals in said remote transport unit using said hopping sequences; transmitting said remote unit fixed frequency signals to said central transport unit through said transport network; receiving said remote unit fixed frequency signals at said central transport unit; converting in said central unit using said hopping sequences said remote unit fixed frequency signals into respective central unit frequency hopping signals corresponding to said remote station frequency hopping signals; and transmitting said central unit frequency hopping signals from said central transport unit to said central station.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said central station comprises a radio base station, said remote station comprises a mobile station, and said hopping sequences are transmitted from said base station to said mobile station over a control channel.